Upgrade
state and county hurricane plans to include “last
refuge,” “shutdown,” and sudden
storm change contingencies

Explore
potential for additional reverse lane strategies

Investigate
the possible use of mass-communication technologies
for storm information

Continue to pursue mitigation/risk reduction strategies

Develop
a Flood Fight Operations Course

Prioritize
road elevations for critical areas in conjunction
with the NJ Department of Transportation

Use of “smart” technologies on evacuation
routes

Incorporate GIS into the planning process

WANTED: Your ideas, comments, and suggestions
!

Keeping an “eye” on hurricane preparedness
? The NJOEM welcomes your comments, suggestions, ideas,
and success stories. Hurricane Preparedness Program
staff (Mike Augustyniak, Mariana Mossler)
are available to meet at your site or to conduct presentations
about our initiatives. All municipal emergency management
officials should communicate with us through their County
Office of Emergency Management.

For nearly 20 years, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Hurricane Evacuation Study Program
(HES) has served as the “population protection”
element of the Hurricane Preparedness Program. A FEMA
Regional Project Officer oversees the Study and provides
assistance to state, county and local governments.

NJOEM Hurricane Preparedness Program
staff members are dedicated to working with their federal
counterparts regarding the integration of HES products
into state and local emergency management plans.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Floodplain Management Program funds the HES and assists
FEMA with administration and technical guidance.

The National Weather Service (NWS)
provides information from its Sea, Lake & Overland
Surge from Hurricane (SLOSH) model – a software
program which computes storm surge heights from tropical
cyclones and helps emergency planners to assess impacts
from storms-related flooding.

American Red Cross (ARC) Headquarters
staff serve on the National Interagency Coordinating
Committee on Hurricanes with FEMA, the Corps of Engineers
and the National Weather Service. Its state and local
chapters are central to this project regarding the selection
of facilities to be used as public hurricane shelters.

State and Local Governments - Primary “Customers”

State and local governments are ultimately responsible
for population protection; they are the primary users
of the research generated from HES program. State, county
and local governments are also among the key parties
in the successful execution of the Study.

HES information assists the county and local emergency
management agencies, transportation agencies, public
works departments and floodplain managers develop detailed
evacuation plans, education community members about
evacuation procedures and implement evacuation plans.

The HES Executive Committee

A Study oversight group reviews the progress of the
study, discusses and plans for future tasks and ensures
interagency coordination that is vital to the HES effort.
Committee members represent:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District

The NJ Office of Emergency Management

FEMA

National Weather Service

New
Jersey Dept. of Transportation

American
Red Cross - NJ

Port
Authority of NY/NJ

NJ
Department of Environmental Protection

NJ
County Emergency Management Coordinator’s Association

New Jersey’s Study Area

The study area includes all 21 counties in New Jersey.
In addition to the inland flooding experienced statewide,
fourteen counties are subject to tidal flooding . All
counties must address river and stream flooding, evacuation/hosting,
and the numerous, social, economic and infrastructure
impacts that accompany tropical weather systems. Our
experience with Tropical Storm Floyd is proof of the
importance of anticipating the potential impacts of
such storms. (For Federal Emergency Management Agency
photographs of Floyd’s impact on NJ, view
the hurricane Floyd Photo Gallery )

NJ HES Format

The NJ HES will consist of five related Analyses –
Hazards, Vulnerability, Behavioral, Shelter, and Transportation.

The Hazards Analysis is an assessment
of the potential wind and water threats to the study
area. The Vulnerability Analysis assesses
the population threatened by various hurricane scenarios.
The Behavioral Analysis investigates
assumptions regarding how the public will respond to
hurricane threats. The Shelter Analysis
is an inventory and evaluation of public shelters available
to evacuations. The Transportation Analysis
estimates the duration of evacuees and formulation of
traffic control measures to shorten evacuation times.

HES Products and Decision-Making Tools

Each Study includes information on how the data can
be used effectively with NWS/Tropical Prediction Center
(TPC) forecast products for evacuation decision-making.
For example, the HES Technical Data Reports presents
a step-by-step approach to help decision-makers calculate
the time needed for evacuation. The factors which impact
evacuation are storm intensity, track and forward speed
forecast, along with HES calculated traffic clearance
times.

These decision-making tools help calculate the “start
time” of an evacuation, in order for it to be
completed before dangerous conditions begin to impact
affected communities. These tools frame the issues for
leaders involved in the evacuation decision –
particularly timing and resource management –
and enhance the decision-making process.

Continue to check this site for updates on the Study
as it progresses !